Fantasy replacement Manchu/Mongols?

I'm building a world that blends late imperial China with D&D elements. The first major plot arc is going to be the 1644 Manchu invasion that crushed the Ming dynasty. But I'm not sure exactly what to reflavor them as to make things interesting. Here are my needs:
> Either Mongol-style cavalry or fighting alongside creatures of some kind. Excellent warriors with strong military culture.
> Intelligent enough to form the new ruling class/master race

I was thinking Dragonborn, but I like them better as not!Tibetans living in close-knit monastery communities with human serfs (who hope to be reincarnated as Dragonborn themselves). All the other main PHB races are accounted for except for half-orcs, but a kingdom ruled by orcs sounds like a shitshow.

Fuck it, aarakocra? Any ideas?

hobgoblins maybe, they're warlike like the orcs but generally portrayed as more organised

Skillful archers riding as one with their mounts is the historical basis for centaurs.

Seconding hobgoblin. Intelligent, militaristic, large numbers and you can easily draft in other monster allies like ogres, giants, etc.

You might also consider gnolls, but they present the same issues as orcs.

thirding hobbos but with orc axuillaries and goblin slaves (mamluks)

orc centaurs with boar behinds.
Porcotaurs

want me to dump a bunch of chinese and manchurian images?

Mongols were primarily cavalrymen while the Manchus were capable siegers with offensive mantlets used in conjunction with heavy cavalry.

The Chinese and their steppe counterparts used the same armors so there isn't much to distinguish the two.

sure

Veeky Forums's had a fetish for orc not!mongols for some time now